70 
XATURE XOTES 
It is a plant with a fairly stout hollow stem with purplish 
markings. The stem bears branches on which are carried finely 
divided, fern-like leaves, the colour being a dark glossy green. 
It bears small white flowers arranged something like those of 
the sweet william or phlox. It is one of the oldest-known 
poisonous plants, the draught by which Socrates met his death 
being a potion made from the hemlock. The principal poisonous 
ingredient of the hemlock is the alkaloid conine, and the 
symptoms of poisoning are weakness and staggering gait, even- 
tually bringing about paralysis, which passes up the spinal cord 
till it reaches the respiratory centre, when death ensues. Like 
most poisonous herbs, hemlock has a medicinal value as a 
powerful sedative, while in the sixteenth century it was much 
used as a salad flavouring . — New Zealand Herald. 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
609. Bird Names. — A few comments on some of the derivations given by 
Mr. C. S. Holder in his article on this subject in Nature Notes for March may 
not be amiss. 
Fieldfate, he states, “has nothing to do with pastures, but is derived from 
A.S. fealo, yellow.” But he does not explain the second part of the word. 
“Fare” is “go,” and I do not think there is much doubt amongst etymologists 
that fieldfare is the field-goer, or traverser. It is a very good descriptive name. 
Starling not so named from the “starry spots on its plumage.” The word 
is compounded of “stare,” the proper name of the bird, and the diminutive. 
“Stare” is from the A.S. Sttrr. That the word has nothing to do with a star 
is proved by a comparison of “stare” with the numerous cognate forms in other 
languages, such as the Latin stiirnus, the German siaar, none of which can be 
connected with any w’ord meaning star. 
Dunlin, we are told, is “ from Gael ‘ dun,’ a hill, and ‘ linne,’ a pool.” But 
why should this bird of the sea-shore be called Hill Pool ? The name, in fact, 
refers to the colour, and is a dialectic form of “ dunling,” i.e., little dun (bird). 
Compare “ dunnock,” a name for the hedge-sparrow. Here an equally well- 
known suffix-diminutive is used, and the verbal meaning is precisely the same as 
that of dunling. 
Kestrel is said to be from “ circa, to go round.” I should suppose this deriva- 
tion to be impossible. There is the old French corresponding form of cresserelle. 
Wren is no doubt from the A.S. wraene, but the meaning is not “ playful ” in 
an innocent sense. 
Lark, Mr. Holder tells us, is “ from the old German Idren, to sound or sing.” 
Professor Skeat does not agree with him, or rather does not refer to such a deriva- 
tion at all. The early English form was “ lavrock,” from the A.S. lawerce, which 
may be resolved into Icew-werca, guile-worker. Professor Skeat says: “The 
name points to some superstition which regarded the bird as of ill omen.” 
(“ Etymological Dictionary).” 
Heron cannot be derived “ from German reihen, to scream,” but the two words 
have a common source. 
Chaffinch is, we are told, “chattering finch, the bird having no connection with 
the corn shop.” Not with the corn-shop, perhaps, but a close one with corn ricks. 
It is characteristic of the chaffinch to forage for “grains amongst chaff and the 
sweepings of homesteads.” Compare the late Latin name, furfurio, from furfur, 
bran. 
Knot. I never heard that Canute “ had a fondness for its flesh.” Camden is 
